This invention relates to an individually packaged absorbent article.
Absorbent articles which are used to absorb body exudates, such as disposable diapers, adult incontinence products or sanitary napkins are well known. Such absorbent articles typically have a body surface which may include a liquid permeable topsheet, a garment surface which may include a liquid impermeable backsheet, and an absorbent therebetween. When the absorbent article is used, the body surface of the absorbent article is placed facing the wearer""s body and the garment surface is placed against the wearer""s undergarment. The body surface of the absorbent article should be kept hygienic prior to use of the absorbent article because the body surface directly touches the wearer""s body. Typically, an absorbent article such as a sanitary napkin is individually wrapped by a wrapper to protect the absorbent article from contamination. Such individually packaged absorbent articles are disclosed in, for example, JP Utility Model Laid-open publication 95/39820 published on Jul. 18, 1995, JP Utility Model Laid-open publication 94/75446 published on Oct. 25, 1994, and JP Patent Laid-open publication 91/176376 published on Jul. 31, 1991. In certain know designs, an absorbent article such as a sanitary napkin is folded into three portions such that the body surface of the sanitary napkin is oriented inwardly to the folded sanitary napkin and the garment surface is wrapped by a wrapper. The body surface is protected from the wearer touching before the sanitary napkin is unfolded for application to the wearer""s undergarment. However, the wearer opens and removes the wrapper from the sanitary napkin and unfolds the sanitary napkin when applying the sanitary napkin to a wearer""s undergarment. This causes body surface contamination because the wearer tends to apply the sanitary napkin by touching the body surface and/or by pushing the body surface of the sanitary napkin toward the undergarment to secure the main fastener provided on the garment surface to the undergarment. Thus, there is no convenient means to protect the body surface of the sanitary napkin while the wearer applies the sanitary napkin to the undergarment. Such known sanitary napkins may also have flaps extending laterally outward from the main body portion of the sanitary napkin. In a configuration where the sanitary napkin is packaged, the flaps are folded on the topsheet. Although the flaps folded onto the topsheet can provide protection for the body surface during the application of the sanitary napkin, the flaps do not cover the whole area of the body surface of the sanitary napkin which may touch the wearer""s body, i.e., portions of the body surface are still left umprotected.
Attempts to protect the body surface of the sanitary napkin during application of the sanitary napkin to the undergarment have been made. For example, JP Patent Laid-open publication 96/56989 published on Mar. 5, 1996 discloses an absorbent article such as a sanitary napkin having a surface cover sheet covering the body surface of the main body portion of the sanitary napkin. A part of the surface cover sheet is temporarily joined to the body surface by a hot melt adhesive. When the sanitary napkin is applied to the undergarment, the wearer does not touch the body surface of the sanitary napkin because the body surface is protected by the surface cover sheet. Although this sanitary napkin protects the body surface from contamination during the application process of the sanitary napkin, the sanitary napkin requires a joint means, such as the hot melt adhesive, to affix the surface cover sheet to the body surface of the sanitary napkin. Even after the surface cover sheet is removed from the body surface, the hot melt adhesive may remain on the body surface. If the sanitary napkin with the body surface having the hot melt adhesive is used, it is possible to cause a skin problem or the wearer feels stickiness while wearing the sanitary napkin. Additionally, processing steps are necessary for applying the adhesive between the body surface and the surface cover sheet.
Based on the foregoing, there is a need for an absorbent article individually packaged by a wrapper having a main wrapper sheet; wherein the body surface of the absorbent article remains protected from, e.g., the wearer""s hands during unwrapping and application. None of the existing art provides all of the advantages and benefits of the present invention.
The present invention provides an individually packaged absorbent article. The individually packaged absorbent article comprises an absorbent article and a wrapper. The absorbent article extends in a longitudinal direction and includes a main body portion having a pair of longitudinal side edges, a pair of end edges, a garment surface, and a body surface. The absorbent article includes a pair of flaps joined to the main body portion and extending laterally outward.beyond the longitudinal side edges of the main body portion. The garment surface of each of the flaps has a flap fastener. The flaps are folded over the body surface of the main body portion to expose the flap fasteners. The wrapper for the absorbent article has a main wrapper sheet. The body surface of the main body portion is disposed to face the main wrapper sheet. The flap fastener of the flap is releasably affixed to the main wrapper sheet. The main body portion and the wrapper are folded as a unit at least about one transverse axis such that the garment surface is oriented inwardly with respect to the folded unit.
The present invention further provides an individually packaged absorbent article. The individually packaged absorbent article comprises an absorbent article and a wrapper. The absorbent article extends in a longitudinal direction and includes a main body portion having a pair of longitudinal side edges, a pair of end edges, a garment surface, and a body surface. The absorbent article includes a pair of first flaps joined to the main body portion and extending laterally outward beyond the longitudinal side edges of the main body portion, and a pair of second flaps joined to the main body portion apart from the first flaps in the longitudinal direction and extending laterally outward beyond the longitudinal side edges of the main body portion. The garment surface of each of the first and second flaps has a first flap fastener and a second flap fastener respectively. The first and second flaps are folded over the body surface of the main body portion to expose the first and second flap fasteners. The wrapper for the absorbent article has a main wrapper sheet. The body surface of the main body portion is disposed to face the main wrapper sheet. The first flap fastener and the second flap fastener are releasably affixed to the main wrapper sheet. The main body portion and the wrapper are folded as a unit at least about one transverse axis such that the garment surface is oriented inwardly with respect to the folded unit.